A man has been jailed for life for beating a man to death with a hatchet in a row over payment for the breeding of Chihuahuas.

Josh Turner of Mooretown in Ratoath, Co Meath was convicted last month of murdering Christopher Nevin outside a house in Navan in November 2015.

In her Victim Impact Statement, Christopher Nevin’s wife Lisa said a part of her died the day her husband was brutally murdered.

She said she used to be a “normal, happy person” who never knew what hate was - but hoped the two men who killed him “burned in hell”.

Earlier this month, Josh Turner was convicted of his murder.

His co-accused Wayne Cluskey, who lived with him in Ratoath at the time, was found guilty of manslaughter.

The court heard it happened in “the snap of a finger” after Mr Turner went to see Mr Nevin about payment for the breeding of Chihuahuas

He had given him a male Chihuahua to cover his three female dogs, but only one pup was produced and an argument ensued.

Mr Turner delivered a number of fatal blows to the head with a hatchet and was handed the mandatory life sentence for murder today.

Mr Cluskey, who armed himself with an axe before intervening and striking Mr Nevin a number of times in the body, will be sentenced next week.